The Brattle Group has been hired by Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, and Senate President Stan Rosenberg to analyse the feasibility of a 2024 Boston Olympic bid. The consultancy will, among other things, evaluate aspects of financing, infrastructure and economic impacts relative to Boston 2024’s international bid preparation.

The private bid for the US 2024 Summer Olympics nomination by Boston was successful as the Olympic Committee (USOC) found itself in favour of the city at the start of January 2015. The city beat out its local competition, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Washington, DC for the official US bid, with only international competitors such as Rome and Hamburg, standing in its way of hosting the world’s biggest sporting spectacle.

The win has not been without controversy and sparked a bitter battle between those that oppose the Olympics bid on the basis of it being economically irresponsible*, and those that have an incentive to bring in the games, as for them it would be economically conducive.

To get a better picture of the economic consequences of the games on stakeholders within the city, the local public communities as well as private individuals, The Brattle Group has selected to provide an independent analysis of the potential impacts of the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games being hosted in Boston. The firm will investigate financing, infrastructure, economic impacts, and Commonwealth and taxpayer responsibilities.

“Bringing the Olympics to Massachusetts is an extremely complicated endeavour and we must remain vigilant to protect the taxpayers,” explains Stan Rosenberg, Senate President. “The Brattle Group brings third party expertise to help analyse Boston 2024’s plans when they become available. I look forward to working with them to provide additional transparency and accountability during this process.”

The consulting firm will investigate and evaluate the city’s potential in collaboration with Professor Brad Humphreys of West Virginia University and Professor Allen Sanderson of The University of Chicago, and will be assisted by financial reporting and accounting experts from Floyd Advisory.